Adjustable side shell staging



Dec. 27, 1960 F. J. KOWALSKI ET AL 2,956,223

ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Filed Sept. 15, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 if f g 64 I 64 J P2 1 INVENTORS Han/f J/fowaZs/Ti andMz'c/zacl Scat one ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 J, ow s ETAL 2,966,228

ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Filed Sept. 15, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS Han/f J Kowals/fz anaM'C/rael Seal one ATTORNEY 1960 F. J. KOWALSKI ET m. 2,965,223

ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Filed Sept. 13, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Han/f J/fowaZs/fz' --s and/Michael Scat one \125 BYK. WW

ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 F. J. KOWALSKI ETAL 2,966,228

ADJUSTABLE SIDE swam. STAGING 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 15, 1954 INVENTORS flan/f J KowaZs/(i andMz'c/zael Scar one ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 F. J. KOWALSK! I ET AL 2,956,228

ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Filed Sept. 13, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS flan/f J Kowals/iz' andM'c/zacl Scat/one BYKJ@M ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 F. J. KOWALSKI ETA]. 2,966,228

ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Filed Sept} 13, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VENTORS Byfljaww ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1960 F. J. KOWALSKI ETAL 2,966,228

ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Filed Sept. 13, 1954 7 Sheets$heet 7 II II ill II H I ll y INVENTORS flan/f J/(owals/fi/ andMc/zael 50a vol 1c ATTORNEY ADJUSTABLE SIDE SHELL STAGING Frank J. Kowalski and Michael Scavone, Baltimore, Md.,

assignors to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 13, 1954, Ser. No. 455,426

4 Claims. (Cl. 182-150) This invention relates in general to scafiolds or staging, and more particularly to adjustable metal staging for painting, cleaning and similar work on the sideshell plating of ships bulls.

The objects of this invention include the provision of reliable means for suspending and spacing the staging elements in any desired relation to the side plating of the ship, and safe and rigid platform means adapted for use with one or more of said staging elements.

Other objects, purposes and advantages of the inventlon will appear hereinafter in the specification, and in the claims and drawings forming a part hereof.

In the seven (7) sheets of drawings hereto attached:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper and lower sections of the staging;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, with portions of the ships deck and shell plating also being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a partially cut-away isometric view of a telescoping strut and a hook hanger for suspending the lower section of the staging from the upper section;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a tapered locking key;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a top section hanger and chain suspended platform;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of one of the telescopic members supporting said platform;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of said telescopic member, on the line 77 of Fig. 6; r

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 88 of Fig. 10, showing the lattice bracing and lifting pin;

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the slotted lower pipe of one top section hanger prior to welding to the top of the subacent vertical channel;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the staging, partly in section, and showing the lattice bracing connecting the top section hangers and the manner of folding said hangers inward for storage;

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the inner side of one top section hanger;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of said top section hanger on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a front detail view of said top section hanger;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section on the line 1414 of Fig. 1, viewing downward to the platform;

Fig. 15 is a section on the line 1515 of Fig. 1, and showing telescopic side struts, ladder, and pipe bracing connecting the vertical channels;

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section on the line 16-16 of Fig. 1, showing a typical spacer rung connecting vertical channels;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line 1717 of Fig. 14, showing one of the platform staples;

Fig. 18 is a vertical section on the line 18-18 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a top plan view of an intermediate platform which may be used between spaced staging units;

Fig. 20 is a front elevation of said intermediate plat- 2 form showing pipe stanchions supporting chains for safety rails;

Fig. 21 is a vertical section on the line 21-21 of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is an enlarged view of one of the platform staples of Fig. 19;

Fig. 23 is an enlarged isometric view of the bottom end of a pipe stanchion with locating pin in place in bayonet slot of pipe socket;

Fig. 24 is a broken front elevation showing the manner in which an intermediate platform may be supported by the platforms of adjacent staging units; and

Fig. 25 is a side view of a portable ladder supported on one of the rungs of the staging ladder and providing convenient access to the deck of the ship.

Referring now to the numerals designating individual parts, the staging in its most general aspect is comprised of a top panel section 1 of braced upright members suspended from the deck 2 and gunwale 3 of a ship by a rearwardly foldable top section hanger 4, a bottom panel section 5 of welded members similar to the top panel section and suspended therefrom by hook members 6, extensible horizontal pipe struts 7 adjustable to the inward slope of the ships side plating 8, and a vertically movable platform 9 with box-shaped extension members 11.

The upright members at each side of the top panel section 1 consists of pairs of parallel vertical channels 12 perforated at regular intervals to receive long rivets 13 welded therein as at 14 and 15 to serve as rung spacers connecting said channels 12 with their rear faces in evenly spaced relation as shown in Figs. 16 and 18.

Said upright side members are formed into rigid open panels by horizontal braces of round bars 16 and heavy pipes 17 and )(-braces 18 likewise of heavy pipes welded at properly spaced intervals to the front or flanged faces of opposite vertical channels 12. Additional strength at the top to permit lifting by cranes or the like is provided by a pair of horizontal parallel channels 19 welded between the uprights and spaced apart by diagonal flat bars 21 welded in crosswise rela (not shown).

rigidity, in addition to the ordinary uses of the ladder.

Each pair of vertical channels 12 is surmounted byan upwardly extending pipe 27 having a plurality of longitudinal slots 28 as in Fig. 9 whereby the lower end' of said pipe 27 engages similar slots in the webs 29 at the top of said channels 12 and is welded thereto Each of said pipes 27 is encircled by a welded band 31,, and has a round cap plate 32 with a central opening 33;

in which a large upright stud 34 is welded with its: threaded end 35 at top.

For hinging the top section hanger, a larger pipe 36 with a grease fitting 37 rotatably surrounds each of the first-mentioned pipes 27, and supports the parallel hori- Zontal channels 38 and the top plate members 39 and 41 of the hanger assembly welded thereto. A washer 42, hex nut 43, and cotter pin 44 secure the hanger assembly to the threaded end 35 of the stud 34. At the opposite end of the parallel horizontal channels and welded therebetween is an inverted U-shaped plate 45, braced by a welded plate bracket 46 and having its depending outer end provided on both sides with inwardly extending bolted angles 47 for engaging the deck 2 and gun- Wale 3 of the ship.

Stop blocks 48 and 49 welded to each lower pipe 27 are adapted to engage a lug 51 on the upper pipe 36.

and restrict the hanger assembly to fold in and out not exceeding 90 as shown ing Fig. l0, and together with said lugs 51 are provided with bolt-holes 52 to permit securing the top section hanger 4-in either open or closed position.

Atop panel section 1 asdescribed above may be of'any desired dimensions, but a top panel section 18 feet high and 2Q feet widehas'been found tomeet most ordinary requirements, either alone or, if necessary, supplemented by a lower panel section 5 of the same width and about 12feet high., 7 H p g, V

For suspending the lower panel section 5 from the top panel section 1,; the large downwardly extending hook 6 is welded between the bottom ends of the vertical channels 12 of said top panel section. I, v

Said lower 'pan el'section 5 isgenerally similar to the top panel sectign 1, as'above "described, but the bowed upper portions 53 of the vertical channels constituting the side membersof said lower panel section 5 are more at top and bottom and bracket 65, under the auxiliary channel 61 additionally strengthen each channel assembly.

The upright members on opposite sides of the bottom panel 5 are joined in spaced relation by transverse pipe braces 66, 67, 68 and 69, the middle pipe brace 67 being welded with X-bracing pipes 71 to a central plate brack- In other respects, including the ladder 73 and the top channels 74 and associated lifting bars 75 and lattice bars 76, the structures of the bottom panel 5 and the top panel 1 are essentially the same.

Adjacent the lower ends of each of the top and bottom panel sections, there is welded to the inside flanges 77 of the vertical side channels a pad 78, having a pair of parallel vertically disposed brackets 79 welded thereon. Said brackets hold a vertically disposed rounded plate 81 with a nut 82 securing a pivot bolt 33 in registering holes therethrough to permit service as a hinge. An inwardly projecting lower portion (not shown) of said plate 81 is adapted to engage the pad 78 and prevent the slotted pipe bd'welded on the other end of the plate from being lowered below a horizontal plane.

Telescopically movable within said pipe 84 is a smaller pipe 35 terminating in a welded round cap plate 86 adapted to engage the side shell plating 3 of the ship 7 when the strut is extended. Bolts (not shown) through registering apertures 87 in the pipes 84 and 85 will hold the struts in the desired position.

Mounted on one of the spacer rungs 13 or 62 at the desired working level is the inner hook portion "38 of the platform hanger casting 59, having side flanges 91 engaging the adjacent flanges 77 of the verticalside channels 12, and a projecting lug 92 in which a pivot bolt 93 secured by a nut 94 permits upwardly hinging movement of the side plate 95 supporting" the staging platform 9. Said platform 9 comprises a'pair'of spaced channels 96 and 97 extending longitudinally of the panel and connected by end channels- 98, adjacent parallel channels 99, and diagonal and transverse braces 101, 102 and 103 of welded angles. A longitudinally disposed angle 104 somewhat shorter'than the a djacent longitudinal channel 96 is'connected thereto by wel ded end brackets 105 and inner brackets 106, and provides additional support for the platform flooring of expanded metal mesh 107 or the like. At each end ofthe longitudinal channel97 located at furthest distance from the plane of the vertical channels 12 is Welded an upwardly extending end plate 198 to which the lower end of a suspension chain 109 is pivotally secured by a shackle 111 and pin 112. The upper end of said chain 109 is secured by shackle 113 and pm 114 to a hook 115 cugaging one of the spacer rungs 13 or 62' a'few feet above the platform level. A U-shaped staple 116 and welded bottom closure plate 117 as in Fig.17 assist in lifting the platform 9'when required.

Welded beneath each of the channels'99 is a rectangular tubular'member 118having an elongated longitudinal slot 119 in its bottom surface 121 (Fig. 6) in which a projecting rivet stop member 122 welded as at 123 to inner rectangular tubular member 124- (Fig. 7) having a cap plate 125 permis a limited range of telescopic extension of-said inner tubular member 124 to provide support for such additional flooring (not shown) as may lie-needed.

Where two or more staging units are to be used, they *may be utilized to maximum advantage byplacing them s pacedunits, as best shown'in Fig. 24.

Said intermediate platf0rm 126 may likewise have expanded metal mesh flooring 127 on a rectangular. frame of welded front and rear angles 128 and 129, with angle stiffeners 131 and center brace 132 and a depending'central angle 133 having a pipe collar 134 through which extends a longitudinal brace rod 135 having itsthreaded ends 136 secured by nuts 137 to brackets 138 beneath the'front edge angle 128.

Said front edge angle 128 has mountedthercon' a plurality of pipe sockets 139, each with a bayonet slot 141 to engage a locating pin or rivet'142 welded near the bottom of a pipe stanchion 143 having a cap plate 144 and bar 1oops145 fora safety chain 146. A'staple' 147 and bottom plate 148 (Fig. 22) in the center angle'brace 132 allows easy lifting of this platform.

A portable metal ladder 149 (Fig. 25) with round' bar rungs 151 and stringers 152 slotted at their bottom ends as at 153 to engage rungs25 onjthe fixed ladder 24 will provide convenient'access to and from the deck'l for workmen using the staging.

It will be observed that the suspended staging device which is the subject matter of this invention is especially suitable for fuse on ships of virtually any type or size, yet it may be adapted for use on elevated structures of other kinds without important changes. It is also very quickly and easilyset up or'moved or' taken down, and

'folds very compactly for convenient storage when not uprights, each upright comprising a pair of parallel vertical structural channels in back to back'spaced relation, a plurality of horizontal spacer rungs secured at regular intervals between each pair of channels, a hangermemher on the 'upper end of each upright, a pair of horizontally spaced parallel channels in back to back relation con necting the upper portions of the uprights, a plurality of criss-cross braces connecting the last-mentioned channels. and transverse braces'connecting the lower portions of the uprights.

2. In a suspension scaffold as claimed in claim 1, each hangermernber comprising an upwardly extending tubular member afiixedto the'top ofeach upright, an outer sleeve rotatably mounted 'onsaid tubularmember, s

straight laterally swinging arm of paired structural channels attached at one end to the top of said sleeve, an inverted U-shaped plate member integrally attached on the opposite end of said arms, and means for securing said arm in open or folded position as desired.

3. In a suspension scaffold as claimed in claim 1, the combination therewith of detachable hinge means including hook portions engaging certain of the aforesaid rungs, a rectangular framework of structural channels comprising a platform secured to said hinge means, expanded metal flooring on said platform, hooks gripping other rungs above the hinge means, and means connecting said latter hooks to the outer edge of the platform to suspend said platform in horizontal position.

4. In a suspension scaffold, a pair of uprights, each upright comprising a pair of vertical, spaced, parallel structural channels, a plurality of rungs secured at intervals between each pair of channels, a vertically pivoted arm secured to the upper end of each upright for suspending the uprights spaced from a wall, bracing connecting said uprights, a working platform extending between said uprights and said wall and having two longitudinal sides, hooks on one side of said platform engaging a rung in each of said uprights, and braces on the other side of said platform engaging a rung in each of said uprights vertically spaced from the first-mentioned rungs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Unverferth Apr. 6, Carmichael Apr. 16, Fisher NOV. 5, Sears Sept. 23, Richardson et a1. Sept. 25, Lally July 15, Schwerin Ian. 24, Stoops Mar. 24, Stranden Apr. 12, Clodfelter July 12, Minnigan Aug. 2, Donaggio Aug. 26, Yetter Oct. 20, Schuler June 8, Bates Aug. 17, Elder May 8, Tobin et a1. Dec. 5, E-pps Mar. 6, Frost Mar. 17, Causey Aug. 18, Sway Aug. 17, Clark Aug. 28, Clark Sept. 14, Sachs Feb. 22, Streeter Dec. 4, Mathews Dec. 6, 

